PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) and the Fraunhofer Institute in Lemgo, Germany have published two comprehensive, practice-oriented guidelines on the open and interoperable omlox localization standard. The standard was developed specifically for industrial applications and enables the non-proprietary integration of different locating technologies for seamless positioning in production and logistics.
The new English-language guidelines, entitled “Locating Technologies Reimagined” and “How to Build omlox Products – A Guide to Air Device Integration,” are available now free of charge in the download area of the omlox website (https://omlox.com/downloads).
The guidelines are oriented towards different target audiences and application scenarios:
- “Locating Technologies Reimagined” provides a practical introduction to the advantages of localization solutions based on the omlox standard. It shows how companies can ensure transparency, efficiency and a sound database for AI-based analyses by using these technologies.
- “How to Build omlox Products” is specifically targeted towards technical developers and describes, in detail, how products can be made compatible with omlox and created with a future-proof design.
Thanks to their structured preparation, practical use cases and technical details, the guidelines offer both technical specialists and strategic decision makers a great deal of added value. Outlooks on future developments also provide motivation for long-term strategies in the field of locating technology, especially with regard to the interplay with intelligent process optimization, robotics and AI-based applications.
The documents were created in close cooperation between PI and the Fraunhofer IOSB-INA. As a global leader in industrial communication standards, PI plays a key role in the development and maintenance of omlox.
“With omlox, the industry has at its disposal an open standard which enables true interoperability between different localization technologies,” explained Harry Fast, Head of the omlox Test Laboratory at the Fraunhofer Institute. “The guidelines are intended to demonstrate the potential which can be unleashed through the use of real-time location systems based on omlox—such as integrated localization from incoming goods to production to shipping—which also serve as the basis for intelligent, AI-based systems.”
PI also underscores the strategic importance of the new publications: “Localization is a central component of Industry 4.0. omlox not only facilitates technical integration, but opens up new possibilities for data analysis, AI-supported optimizations and complete traceability of industrial processes,” remarked Xaver Schmidt, Chairman of the Board of PI.